Whitecaps FC kickoff 2012 preseason

January 22, 20129:56 AM PST

Preparations for Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2012 Major League Soccer season begin today, with players undergoing physical assessments, followed by a week of training at Burnaby Lake West, starting on Monday at 10 a.m PT.

Whitecaps FC will have seven weeks of preparation for their second season in MLS, which begins with First Kick versus Canadian rivals and MLS expansion club Montreal Impact at BC Place on Saturday, March 10. Vancouver’s preseason schedule is highlighted by an initial training camp in Casa Grande, Arizona, beginning Tuesday, January 31. The ‘Caps will also travel to Orlando, Florida, on Monday, February 20, to participate in the annual Disney Pro Soccer Classic. That will be followed by a preseason friendly versus ‘Caps head coach Martin Rennie’s former side in North American Soccer League outfit Carolina RailHawks in Cary, North Carolina, on Sunday, March 4.

At the end of this month, the Blue and White will return to the Grande Sports World complex in Arizona for a third consecutive preseason. Their ten-day stay will include training sessions and two preseason friendlies which will be confirmed shortly.

Upon their return to Vancouver, Whitecaps FC will train at Burnaby Lake West during the week beginning Monday, February 13, before embarking on the second stage of preseason when they head to Orlando, Florida, on February 20 for the annual Disney Pro Soccer Classic held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The tournament runs until Saturday, March 3, and features eight clubs, including MLS sides FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Toronto FC, Sporting Kansas City, and Montreal Impact. Swedish top-flight club BK Häcken and United Soccer Leagues Professional Division champions Orlando City round out the teams in the preseason tournament.

Preseason will wrap up with a friendly match versus the RailHawks on Sunday, March 4. This marks the first meeting between the two sides since Vancouver became an MLS club in 2011. The final week before First Kick will see the squad back training in Metro Vancouver from Tuesday, March 6, to Friday, March 9, in preparation for the March 10 season opener versus Montreal.

Whitecaps FC 2012 Major League Soccer season tickets start at $329, plus applicable tax and a $10 processing fee per order. To secure a seat and for additional information about Whitecaps FC MLS season tickets, including loge seats and suites, call 604.669.9283 or CLICK HERE.